Has Hyponatremia And Acute Ulcerative Colitis. Feeling Nausea And Fatigue. How Is Legionnaires Disease Diagnosed?

Posted on Tue, 14 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 Answered on

Tue, 4 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : How is Legionaire's disease diagnosed? My husband has had diarrhea, cough, confusion, nausea, fatigue since Aug. 1st. Has taken Prednisone for 14 days with symptoms of the above still. Am at a loss in trying to treat him. He is 87 yrs. old. Some symptoms are the same as Legionair's disease but no Doctor has even mentioned any ot these. He also has hyponatremia and acute ulcerative colitis. Thank you, XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (5 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for your query.

The symptoms you mentioned above are typically seen in Legionaire's disease but are not specific for the disease.Such symptoms can be seen in other forms of viral pneumonias.

But I would consider it mandatory to rule out the Legion fever in him.This can be done by

Microscopic examination of the sputum
Staining and culture of the bronchoalveloar lavage fluid.
Urinary Legionella antigen detection
Serum Antibody tests.

The above tests do not by any chance miss the diagnosis.
Once the diagnosis is established, treatment with antibiotics like Azithromycin or Quinolones would be essential.

Hyponatremia and Ulcerative colitis if active now can be involved in worsening of the pneumonia.

Hope I answered your query.

Wish you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar